President Alvi asks NDMA to ensure provision of PPE at hospitals

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has stressed on ensuring the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other necessary medical equipment to hospitals to provide better treatment to coronavirus infected patients.

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt. General Muhammad Afzal briefed the president on the coronavirus situation in the country. He highlighted the measures taken by NDMA to support the health sector and medical community by providing them PPEs and medical equipment.

The chairman informed that sufficient PPEs had been sent to hospitals to cater to the needs of doctors and nurses. He mentioned that NDMA had established a database of doctors and nurses and medical equipment for the first time, which would be helpful for coordination purposes in future.

He further informed that Frontier Works Organization (FWO) was establishing a 282-bed hospital in Islamabad for coronavirus patients. The president appreciated the arrangements made by NDMA to cope with the current Corona crisis.

Earlier today, NDMA released protective equipment for paramedical staff treating patients in various hospitals of Balochistan. In a statement, NDMA Chairman said the equipment included 5,000 surgical and 324 N-95 masks, 615 protective kits, 4,610 surgical gloves, 235 germs-protected gowns, 292 shoes cover, 319 surgical caps, and 83 face shields.